A King's Descent Into Madness

The first indication that something was wrong with King George III came in the spring of 1765. The twenty-seven-year-old monarch had been on the throne for just five years when he came down with a fever, a racking cough, sudden weight loss and insomnia. Alongside these symptoms came something unexpected - a noticeable cognitive impairment that caused concern not just among the king’s courtiers, but also to the king himself, so much so that an act of parliament was passed to install a regency should George be incapacitated in such a fashion again. Thankfully, the king quickly recovered, and the act was repealed.